And a Garden Hose
by Olliegami
Summary: I was given a prompt for Itashi. Just a typical sort of slice-of-life ficlet thingy. Enjoy.


Despite the heat, Summer was quite classically one of Itachi's favourite times of year. As a child it had brought him plenty of time to relax, read what _he _wanted rather than the text provided by his teachers and most of all, spend time with his little brother.

Things weren't too different now. He made a habit of giving himself a two week holiday from work at the family business to spend at home whilst Shisui's university broke for the Summer. In the three years they'd lived together in a little house just on the outskirts of Konoha, he had yet to experience a bad holiday.

This morning was only different because Shisui had abandoned the bed long before Itachi, and whereas that usually meant that he had something up his sleeve and generally he needed to be on high alert to counter-act whatever trouble he would be likely getting them _both_ into, today he found he couldn't care. Perhaps it was something to do with the sort of evening they'd had, although he didn't abuse the power too frequently (probably out of fear that Itachi would get accustomed to it) Shisui had ways of reducing him to a content mess, free of his usual troubles and concerns.

It was odd not to hear from Shisui once his boyfriend realised he'd gone for a shower, odder still that he didn't make his presence known even after he'd arrived downstairs and fetched himself a coffee from the percolator. Briefly, he wondered why Shisui would have left without even letting him know, but there - next to a bowl laid out on the table, between a box of cereal and a jug of milk was a small handwritten note.

Shisui's handwriting was messy at best, but he was used to it now to make out words that informed him Shisui had something to do, but he would be back before twelve to make- Did that say lunchies? Despite the fact that he was smiling, Itachi sighed, shook his head and slid down into his chair. His general mood, despite being high fluctuated slightly. Eating any meal without Shisui across the table from him was alien, even on days when he had work first thing in the morning, and Shisui wasn't due at the university until later. Even if Shisui was half asleep when he eventually pressed a kiss to his forehead and promised to be home in time for tea.

He focussed instead on the relative quiet of the house, and contemplated the chores they could perhaps get done today. There was nothing they needed to buy, no one they'd arranged to see, Sasuke wasn't at University during the summer, so calling on him to spend the day was out of the question. Perhaps they could take a trip to the seaside for a walk along the coast-

His thoughts were broken by the telltale sign of Shisui's return. Naturally, his smile returned, and he turned enough to look at the doorway.

"I had to grab some stuff! It wasn't weird was it? You didn't even wake up when I kissed ya goodbye. Must have been an exhausting night, huh?" Shisui's voice carried through the hallway into the kitchen, but in response to his question, Itachi said nothing.

In fact, even when Shisui appeared in the doorway of their kitchen, dressed head to toe like a cowboy, with a long garden hose in his hand a shopping bag that looked like it came from the gardening store, Itachi still said nothing.

It took Shisui all of twenty seconds to realise what was going on. He grinned, from ear to ear - looking down at himself and taking a moment to admire himself. What was new? He wore the whole shebang. A traditional cowboy hat, what looked like a shirt under a brown and white patterned poncho. Jeans, that looked like the ones he'd worn yesterday. There was a toy gun at his side, and boots- with spurs. He lifted each foot in turn, and looked up expectantly at Itachi.

"Heh." His grin faltered just a little, but he didn't move. At least not until Itachi slowly looked down his body, and back up again, eyebrow arched high.

"Am I missing something?"

Shisui actually laughed, dumped the bag and hose down either side of him and moved behind Itachi, looping his arms around his neck and leaning down to nuzzle at Itachi's cheek. The action tipped his hat, which fell off and landed in Itachi's open hand like he'd expected it.

"Saw this poster whilst I was shoppin'. Said there was this fancy dress party goin' on in town, and I thought- well, I thought we could go."

Itachi highly doubted that this hadn't been premeditated. Shisui was sporadic at the best of times, and he could _almost _believe that his story was true, but something about the sex they'd had last night made him wonder whether Shisui had this planned all along. Slowly, he twisted his head to look at the other, rolling his eyes when Shisui grinned wider.

"It'll be fun! It's been ages since we've been out on the town. We can get totally plastered and not have to worry about tomorrow. C'mon, Itachi." When there was nothing but silence for more than ten seconds, he leaned back again, right up close to Itachi's ear, and _sighed _before adding a soft. "I'll make it worth your while."

The words seemed to spill down Itachi's back, but he shrugged his shoulder in a cue that Shisui took to take a step back. Standing to his feet, Itachi collected his cup and bowl, turned and spent a moment regarding Shisui before rolling his eyes.

"Fine, but it's not because you're going to make it worth my while." He added, with a _look _that Shisui knew was meant to mean that he was in trouble, but he actually wasn't _and _that he would make it worth his while anyway.

"Oh great! I saw this _great _costume. You could go as an Indian. Hold on, lemme get out of this. I bought a hose for the garden too- if we're gonna grow tomatoes. Er, and some other stuff too. Compost's in the car though. Couldn't bring anything else in." Shisui was gone again before he had time to interject, but whilst he washed the dishes, he couldn't help but smile.

Life... Couldn't have been better.


End file.
